UPDATE: False call brings swarms of police to downtown Kelowna

RCMP had the 700-block of Leon Avenue blocked off this evening, July 9, 2015.

(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

July 10, 2015 - 11:06 AM

KELOWNA - A downtown street was blocked off and under heavy police presence Thursday evening, but RCMP Cst. Steve Holmes says it was all because of a false call.

"Investigators are relieved that no one was injured in the incident but are disturbed at the complete disregard for public safety," he says in a release. "Whenever police receive a false report, especially of this nature, it diverts police and other emergency personnel and potentially delays response to legitimate emergencies."

Holmes does not say what the nature of the call was, but says it was "of a very serious nature." At the time of the event no public warnings were issued and police on the scene refused to confirm whether or not the public were at risk.

The 700-block of Leon Avenue near Richter Street was blocked off by at least seven marked police cars from around 7:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

"Due to the high level of risk to public safety, police established containment around the building and evacuated adjacent units," he says.

The RCMP is investigating an offence of public mischief

There was a heavy police presence on the 700-block of Leon Avenue this evening, July 9, 2015.

(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 11:05 a.m., July 10, 2015, with details from RCMP. The original story ran at 8:11 p.m., July 9, 2015.

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